1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns shaving and pre-shaving methods and preparations effective on skin having in-grown hairs.
2. The Related Art
Men in many societies are expected to be clean shaven. The process is usually accomplished in the morning, often sleepy-eyed in a ritual removing the unsightly stubble on face and throat. The desired result of a smooth skin surface encounters many obstacles.
The basic process of drawing a blade across a body surface is best done on a perfectly flat template. Of course, every face possesses unique deviations from the perfectly flat. A shave may be close or too close in certain areas and insufficiently close in others. Parameters of elasticity, turgo, smoothness and hair type are further considerations. The art has moved to compensate for these deviations. One approach is optimization of a razor system. The other involves applying pre-shaving compositions to prepare the skin or use of lubricating compositions during the cutting process.
Shaving for black males can be particularly difficult. This group of individuals often possesses facial hair with natural curvature. When hair is sharpened through razor contact it can either penetrate the epidermis in an arc or pierce the follicular wall. Penetration elicits a painful response.
The art has responded to the problem of in-grown hair. U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,530 (Perricone) treats “razor bumps” with alpha-hydroxyacids or derivatives thereof. U.S. Pat. No. 6,156,299 (Rosen et al.) topically applies an acetylsalicylic acid composition to beard areas of the face as an after shave to inhibit growth. U.S. Pat. No. 5,962,018 (Curtis et al.) discloses a method for treating in-grown hair with an anhydrous composition containing a water soluble organic acid encapsulated into hydrophobic microspheres. The organic acid can elute in the presence of water when applied to the skin. Another approach is found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,461,599 (Reuben) disclosing formulating a shaving composition with abrasive particles for aiding in liberation of hairs grown aberrantly. Still another approach is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,939 (Moore) describing a shaving composition incorporating salicylic acid, a glucocorticoid and sulphur.
None of the foregoing approaches to controlling the in-grown hair problem have fully met expectations of those experiencing the problem.